Service and After Sales Managers take care of the relationship with the customer after the primary business has already been concluded. was.
This is why we also speak of After-sales management. They try to sell the customer training, maintenance, spare parts, repairs and other services for the purchased products in order to generate additional steady income.
In large companies, service managers sometimes command half a battalion of technicians. In smaller companies, business can sometimes be less glamorous because customer service is unfortunately often somewhat neglected. On the other hand, the right methods can usually turn things around relatively quickly in smaller companies.
These qualities guarantee your success as a Service Manager:
1. service managers must be able to sell!
Service is not just about helping customers with problems with their products. After-sales services can also earn money and generate constant revenue. Unfortunately, this fact is not yet understood everywhere, which is why customer service is often not given a lot of budget. If you want to get funding from your boss for your innovative service ideas, this also requires sales talent and persuasion.
Selling services is somewhat different from selling primary products. A successful Sales strategy in after-sales should be the basis on which you build your activities.
2. hands-on mentality
Service is a fast-moving business. Customers often have a significant problem when they arrive at your premises. In this case, you have to react quickly. A talent for improvisation is essential. You must be able to come up with an adequate solution in a short space of time. Otherwise, an entry will often simply disappear from your customer file without a word. Customers are less loyal in the service business than in the sale of primary products. For you, this means: roll up your sleeves!
3. strong nerves
Customers are not always in the best of moods when they get in touch with you. The top priority then is to keep calm! If you do your job with confidence, you can earn some laurels as a service manager. The bigger the problem seems, the more relieved the customer will be once you have conjured up an accurate solution. And this is possible in almost all cases!
When things go wrong, your expertise as a service manager is particularly in demand. Successful Compensation negotiations are a suitable means of regaining the customer's trust.
4. technical understanding
Digitalization is rapidly changing the economy. The service business is also subject to constant change due to technological innovations. Self-service, predictive maintenance and, increasingly, artificial intelligence should not be daunting topics for you. You should also have a basic understanding of mechanical engineering in order to earn the respect of service technicians.
One of the most important technological innovations in service is Predictive maintenance. Modern maintenance strategies offer impressive possibilities for the production of the future.
5. employee management
Service technicians can sometimes be very eccentric characters. This is not surprising in this business. Your employees are often under a lot of pressure. In technical customer service, you need characters who are able to bite through. Understand this and have your team's back! Capable technicians are the backbone of every service department. Without your support, success will be a long way off.
Dealing with difficult customers is also a burden for service technicians. It is good to know how to deal with such situations. Build up employees and keeps satisfaction in the department constantly high.
6. management skills
As a service manager, you should have your department's finances under control and not have slept through your business studies lectures. Satisfied customers are an important thing. However, you should show a little more ambition. After all, the ultimate goal should be to make a profit with your services.
Nothing works here without the development of suitable business models. This also puts you in an excellent position to negotiate financial investments with top management.
7. after-sales managers should choose their employer wisely!
Have we already talked about the fact that the service department is often neglected? Many companies do not yet manage customer service as an independent business area with its own profit and loss account.
Look for an employer who is aware of the value of successful after-sales management! Then you can achieve a lot in this field. Good customer service is becoming increasingly important, as companies can no longer easily differentiate themselves from their competitors with their primary products.
Industry 4.0 innovations are fundamentally changing production processes. This can also be dangerous for some machine manufacturers. The trend towards product-as-a-service is emerging. You should choose a company for your business that offers the The future of service and does not refuse to do so.
8. strategic understanding
Building up customer service systematically takes time and requires a well-developed concept. A strategic approach is therefore an absolute must. Precise planning is absolutely essential to get the best out of your department with limited resources. However, this is also what makes this job so appealing. A little patience is not necessarily detrimental to success.
There are above all 5 success factors for expanding the services businessthat you can rely on to be strategically well positioned in after-sales.
9. the most important thing: the customer
In all of this, you must always focus on the customer's needs. Building a good relationship takes time, but it is worth all the effort. Success in this business depends to a large extent on good relationships. Be the one they call when they need you.
A fixed Customer loyalty The process of establishing a customer relationship is somewhat different in the service business than in the primary business. This fact should be taken into account in the strategic planning of customer relationships.
Some of you will already have these qualities. For those who are still on their way to becoming a successful service manager, I would like to say: don't be put off by the requirements mentioned! All of these skills are acquired through experience. After all, you don't wake up overnight as Director After-Sales of a company in the enterprise segment. - Dr. Simon Tonat
